Death

By Monica Demott (formerly University of Iowa)

Like initiation, marriage, and parenthood, death involves the transition from one state of being to another. Rituals formalize this ontological change. A number of anthropologists have considered death a rite of passage that involves three distinct phases: (1) the separation of the deceased from the living, (2) a period of mourning and preparation for the funeral, and (3) the recognition and veneration of the deceased as an ancestor.